Thermostatic control apparatus



F. N. CHESTER THERMOSTATI C CONTROL APPARATUS Dec. 22, 1936.

Filed July 28, 1952 ATTC'DRNEYS.

Patented Dec; 22, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

2,064,887 rnnnmosrsnc 'oon 'rnon arraaa'rus Frederick Norman Chest er, Jersey City, bl. J. Application my 28, 19st, Serial No. 625,227

8 Claims. (01. 200-140).

g The invention. relatesto devices forming part of or adapted to be used in connection with thermostatic controlapparatus, such as is used for regulating the temperature of rooms and apart- 5 ments by admitting more or less cool outside air.

into the same, also for regulating the temperature of ovens and like apparatus by controlling the amount of heat supplied thereto, and for many other purposeaes will be well'understood 10 by those skilled in the art. r

The invention particularly relates to certain details of construction of means interposed be tween said thermostatic devices proper and the temperature or other regulating devices which [5 may be directly or indirectly controlled thereby,

'all as hereinafter more particularly described and pointed out. j

One of' the principal objects of the invention is to provide simple, efficient and economical g means whereby -a thermostatic device of the usual or any suitable type may be enabled to operate upon other mechanism,- such as for instance ventilating devices, oven heat controlling devices, and many other kinds of devices which were capable of being efllciently controlled by means of a thermostatic device, such control being effected in the present invention through mechanism of such construction, and in such drawing and described in this specification.

manner that, it shall be sensitively and de cately i0- responsive toeven-very slight movements of the thermostatic deviceand yet be of such construe! tionas to yield to extensive movements of such thermostatic device without breaking or injuring such mechanism. Further objects and advanill' tages of the invention willbe in partset forth in 4 the following specification and in part will be obvio'us therefrom without being specifically p i ted out, the same being realized and attained by means "of the instrumentaliti'es and characterl0 istics and relative arrangements-and combinadevice proper "on the one hand and in turn operating a thermostatic controlled device on .the

other hand. Such mechanism in order to be satisfactory must be not only sensitive to a very I ,slight movement of the thermostatic element, which is actuated by the change of temperature, but it must be such thatit maymot be.

broken by an unusual orabnormalexten i ij'lii f movement of the saidthermostatic element. Mechanism has been suggested which will espond with suflicient 'sensitiveness to the s all movements of the thermostatic element and will transmit the same to the controlled device, but 5 such mechanism is esemarily delicate and is unable to adapt itself to a very large movement of the thermostatic element. On the other hand, mechanism has been suggested which will not be injured by excessive movement of the thermo- 10 Lstaticelement, but is yet incapable of responding satisfactorily to a small movement ofthe thermostaticv element. These two requirements inthe connecting mechanism are-as it will be readily seen, somewhat contradictory or opposed to. each other, and it has been much desired to provide a mechanism which is capable of satisfactorily solving both phases of this problem. I believe that the construction herein set forth. has overcome the difliculty above set forth, and has otherwise contributed to the advance of the art. g e With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the invention consists'in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof, certain embodiments of the same being illustrated in the accompanying invention; 1

,Fig. 2 is a view of a modification of a part of i the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; l i

Fig. 3 is a view of another modification of the; said apparatus; Figs. 4,5, and 6 are detail viewshereinafter more fully described; and v Fig. '7 is a viewof another modification of the 40 mechanism as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and I have shown in the drawing two difl rent forms or modifications of the thermostat 1 self, either one of which would be practicable f r use as a part of my i vention, each of said forms being in itself well nown in the art, and neither of which I claim as my-invention in itself, but only its use in combination .with the other elements of the invention herein set forth. In Fig. 1 I have shown a thermostat of the usual corrugated diaphragm type, the same being duplex as is usual 1 in. such cases. As will be well understood, any rise in temperature in the air surrounding such a thermostatic device causes an expansion of the a liquid contained inside of the diaphragms 30 and 56 device, as shown in Fig. l, bei

closing member hereinafter described, so that,

when the temperature increases and the thermostat expands, the member 3| and the circuitclosing member are raised and contact is made with the upper contact-point 32, and when the temperature falls and the thermostat contracts, the member 3| descends and contact is made with the lower contact-point 83.

Another form of thermostat is shown in Fig. 9, being here of the ordinary well-known spirally wound bi-metallic element type. Here the spiral bi-metallic element is designated 40, and is secured in some suitable manner to the casing, as shown at 4|. The outer end of the spiral is secured at 42 to the circuit-closing member above referred to and to be hereinafter more fully described. a I

The contact points with which said circuitclosing member makes contact when the device is in operation are suitably secured to the casing in a slidable manner and are capable of being adjusted vertically therein by means of a setscrew 35, shown plainly in Fig. .4, in a. manner which will be well understood. From these contact-points lead the wires of an electric circuit 26.

' .is shown in Fig.1. where this same member is- It will be understood that in the .arrangenient of the device illustrated in Fig. 1, it is contemplated" that when contact is made by the circuit-closing tongue with the upper contact-point 32, the circuit is closed and the current passes through one of the wires 26, operates or energizes a .motor,

magnet, or other device, asdesired, and then passes back through a return wire grounded on the casing 2], but not shown in the drawing. When the tongue is depressed intocontact with the contact p oint 33, however, the circuit is closed through the other of said: wires 28 and the same.

or another return wire. I

The circuit-closing device itself will now bedescribed. This device constitutes .an important part of the structure, and the particular construction of the same by which it is enabled to be operated by the thermostat and yet to be yielding so as not to be injured or malformed by an exsubstantially equivalent to each other and within the spirit and scope of the inve tion,'these diife ent forms being illustrated in gs. l, 2, 3, and l. The essential features in each of these forms are, however, similar or analogous, and

equivalents of each other, and on the drawing corresponding numerals are applied to corresponding parts in the various forms.

In Fig. 1 the circuit-closing device is shown as-- sembled in combination with other elements of the invention, but in Fig. 2 a somewhat simpler construction is shown, which may perhaps with advantage be first described and then the analogy of the same with the device shown in Fig. 1 pointed out.-

Referring therei'ore'to Fig. 2, it will be seen that a member 50 is provided, which is adapted to be rigidly secured to. the casing of the device; as

illustrated. To the member 50 is pivotally secured at 5| 9. member 52. To this member is pivotally sake of clearness,'this member is not shown in Fig. 2, but it and its location and manner of attachment will be seen in Fig. 1, in connection with the analogous form of circuit-closing device therein illustrated.

In the form of device shown in Fig. 2, the outer end ofzthe member 52 is shown provided with teeth, so as to mesh with corresponding teeth in a second member 55, as shown in Fig. 2 at 56. Each of the members 52 and 55 'is,provided with lateral arms 51, and spiral springs 58 are provided which elastically connect the arms 51 of the members 52 and 55, in a manner which is clearly shown in Fig. 2- and which will be quite obvious from an examination of said 'figure. The effect of the said springs 58 is to draw the members 52 and 55 closely together and yet allow the member 55 to vswing more or less freely up or down whenever the member 52 may be raised or lowered to an extent to which the member 55 may not be able to follow it. The member 55 terminates in a circuitclosing tongue such as is shown at 58 in Fig. 1 or in Figs. 3, 6 or 7, which tongue is adapted to make contact with the contact-points 32 or 33 (see Fig. 1) as the thermostat raises'or lowers the device.

It will be obvious that a very substantial or exjury, inasmuch as the member 55,;as shown in Fig ..2 ,'will1 bend at an angle with the member 52, j

the'teeth "56 meshing with each other and the k spring 58 yielding so as to allow such bend but being adapted to restore the parts to normal con- .dition as .soon as the excessive pressure is re-- lieved.

The action of the device shown in Fig. l is sufiiciently analogous to the device shown in Fig. 2 as to be readily understood from what has been said with regard to the Fig; 2 form,"and corresponding numerals are applied to l corresponding parts. The principal difference between these two forms is that .in Fig.1 there is no provision for in- .termeshing gears or teeth, as shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose ofholding the parts .52 and 55 in relative position, but inFlg. 1 the two parts are held together by pins 50 on the member 52, which operate-in notches inthe adjacent .part of the member 55 in a manner which will be well under.- stood, the member 52, as shown in Fig". 1, comprisingtwo parallel leaves, connected by the pins .60 and between the ends of which the member 55 1 extends when the parts are assembled.

The action of'the device shown in Fig. 3 is also sufficiently analogous to the other forms to' be readily understood from what hasbeen above.

said. In this form of the device the single spring 6| performs the same functions as those of the springs 58 shown in Figs. 1 and 2; in this form, however, the spring acts by pushing the two members52 and 55 apart as far as may be, the

said members 52 and 55 being held together, however, by the engagement of the pins 6|! on the dodges? member 52 with the notches II in the member II. The spring 8 is retained in place by the tongue or guide 6] on the member 55 (see particularly Fig. 6), ci thmd which the spring is coiled, and also by the sleeve cap 84 (shown in section inl ig. 5). which, when the device is assembled, surrounds/ the spring (the said cap being shown partly broken away in Fig; 3) The closed end or bearing surface of the cap 04 then bears against the/curved end H of the member 52, in a manner which will be well understood from an inspection of Fig, 3.

/ The twoflat springsshown in 3 and designated 62, are secured at 65 to the member 55 and bear upon the member 52, but it will be understood that these springs 62 are only necessary in cases where greater spring action is required, in addition to thatprovided by the spring 6|, and

7 that in many of the smaller embodimentsof the device the latter alone will be sumcient.

The form of the device shown in Fig. 7, in connection with 'the bi-metallic element form of the member 52 without first The advantage of my invention will be obvious I from what has been above said, but it may be desirable to call attention to the especiallynovel and advantageous feature of the invention,

namely, the construction of the operative mechanism intervening between the thermostatic element and the mechanical elements for opening and closing' a ventilating device or performing such other uses as may be desired, such construction being adapted to respond immediately and certainly to a very slight movement of the thermostatic element and yet'to permit an ex-, cessive, unexpected or unusual operation of the thermostaticelement without injury to any of a the necessarily somewhat delicate parts involved.

, This result is achieved by means of the peculiar construction of theparts, particularly shown in Fig. 1 and also on a larger scale and with more detail in Figs. 2, 3, 6, and '7.-

I do not limit myself to the particular details of construction set forth in the foregoing speciflcation and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, as the same refer to and'set forth only 'certainjembodiments of the invention and it is obvious that the same may be modified, within the scope of the appended claims, without detparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Baying thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by letters 1| m n is adapted to'makecontact with Patent is as follows:

character herein described, comprisin a circuitclosing arm adapted to be operated by thermostatic L-lement'or the like, said arm prising a plurality of' members in combination operatively' connected intermediate the point of connection to saidthermostatic "element or the like and the circuit-clJsing point, one of which members is adapted to be moved by the action of such there, niostatic element or. the like and another of 1. A switch adaptedfor use in a device of the a contact point and thereby close an electric circuit when in such contact, and resilient means adapted to hold said parts of said arm normally in such position that the longitudinal axis'of said member moved by said thermostatic element and the longitudinal axis of said member which contacts said contact-point and thereby closes said circuit shall be in one line.

'2. A switch adapted for use lira device of the character herein described, comprising a circuitclosihg arm adapted to be operated by a thermostatic element or the like, said arm comprising a plurality of parts in combination operatively connected intermediate the point of connection to said thermostatic element or the like and the circuit-closing point, one of which members is adapted to be moved by the action of such thermostatic element or. the like and another of adapted to hold said parts of said arm normally in such position that the longitudinal axes of said parts shall be in the same line'but to permit said parts'of said arm to gradually move angularly with relation to each other if pressure is of position of said parts relativelyto each other but upon an excessive movement of said thermo static element or the like said parts of said arm may move angularly with relation to each other after coming in contact with a contact point and upon such excessive pressure being removed shall return to a substantially straight-line position relatively to each other.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2, in which one of said parts of said arm is provided with a plurality of notches and another of said parts is provided with a plurality of pins or the like adapted to be located at the ends of said notches respectively when said parts are in normal straight-line position, but when said parts are moved angularly with relation t8 each other one of said pins will act as the pivotal point of such relative movement and another of said pins will be temporarily removed fromthe end'of its respective notch.

4. A device as set forth in claim 2,1 in which one of said parts of said arm is provided with a plurality of notches and another of said parts is provided with a plurality of pins or the like adapted to be located at the ends, of said notches respectively when said parts. are in normal straight-line position, butwhen said partsare moved angularly with relation to each other one of said pins-willact as the pivotal, point of such relative movement and another of said pins will be temporarily removed from the end of its respective notch, said resilient means'tending to hold said pins normally notches respectively.

5. a device as set forth in claim 2, in which said arm comprises a plurality of parts adapted to contact edge to edge, and means adapted to prevent displacement of said parts out of the same planerelatively to each other.

6. A device as set forth in claim 2, in which at the ends of said said arm comprises a plurality of parts adapted along said engaging each other, and in prising a plurality of parts in combination operatively connected intermediate the point of con nection to said thermostatic element or the like and the circuit-closing point, one of which members is adapted to be moved by the action of such thermostatic element and another of which members is adapted to make contact with a contact point and thereby close an electric circuit when in such contact, and resilient means adapted to hold said parts of said arm normallyin such position that the longitudinal axes of said parts respectively shall be in one line.

-8. A switch adapted for use in a device of the character herein described, comprising a thermostatic element and a circuit-closing arm adapted to be operated thereby, said 'arm comprising -a plurality of parts in combination operatively connected intermediate the point of connection to said thermostatic element and the circuitclosing point, one of which members is adapted to be moved by the actionof such thermostatic line. position relatively to each other.

2,064,887 tend to prevent longitudinal separation or said element x and another of which members is adapted to make contact with a'contact point and v thereby close an electric circuit when in such contact, and resilient means adapted to hold said partsoi said arm normally in such position that the longitudinal axis of said member moved .by said thermostatic element and the longitudinal axis of said member which contacts said contactpoint and thereby closes said circuit shall be in the same line but to permit said parts of said arm to gradually moveangularly with relation to each other if pressure is applied to said am when it is in a position which does not permit of further movement without such yielding: whereby said parts and their operatively connecting means shall normally operate as a unitary'arm having a. substantially straight longitudinal axis and without change of position of said parts relatively to each other but upon an excessive movement of said thermostatic element said parts of said arm may move angularly with relation to each other after coming in contact with a contact pointand upon such excessive pressure being removed shall return to a substantially straight- FREDERICK NORMAN CHESTER. 

